reviews and stories about parenting with picture books
Looking for a Good Book?
I hope these Picture Book House Lists* will help you find what you are looking for:
- Best Books to Read Anytime
- Best Breakfast Books
- Best Bedtime Books
- Best Books for Cozying Up on the Couch
- Best Books to Read Anytime
- Best Books to Give as Gifts
- Best Baby Books
- Best Board Books
- Best Seasonal Books
- Best Poetry Books
- Best Concept Books
- Best Nonfiction
- Best Easy Readers that Toddlers Will Enjoy
- Best Nonfiction
The books included on the lists below are books that have, over the last four years, become part of our very beings. We have read them again and again and again. These lists are comprised almost entirely of books that I have written about on this blog. Many of these books are backed by starred reviews and have been published in the last few years (Baby Bear Sees Blue, Sophie’s Squash). Others are considered classics (The Little Red Caboose, Brown Bear Brown Bear), and some are the books that I loved as a child (A Child’s First Book of Poems and Dooley and the Snortsnoot).
All of the books on these lists are books that my three-and-a-half-year-old daughter and almost two-and-a-half-year-old son cherish. We don’t just read them, we live them.
These lists are personal. In them is us, defined by what we read when we are going to bed, eating breakfast, feeling scared, happy or sad. They illuminate how we learn and how we play. They reveal our interests and reflect our imaginations. I parent with picture books, and so by default, the books on the lists below have had a profound impact on my children.
The lists are not comprehensive. There are many great books that we either have not spent hours reading (yet) or that I have not blogged about (yet). Rather, these lists represent categories that have emerged throughout my first year telling stories about parenting with picture books.
Best Picture Books to Read Anytime
This is essentially my “Top Ten” list with 20+ titles. On this list are picture books that are typically intended for readers age two-five. It does not include board books. Many of these titles are repeated on additional lists below. These are our favorite books:
- Sophie’s Squash, Pat Zietlow Miller with illustrations by Anne Wilsdorf (Schwartz & Wade Books, 2013)
- Railroad Hank, Lisa Moser with illustrations by Benji Davies (Random House, 2012)
- Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale, Mo Williems (Hyperion, 2004)
- The Boy Who Cried Bigfoot, Scott Magoon (Simon and Schuster, 2013)
- Duck on a Bike, David Shannon (Blue Sky Press, 2002)
- Baby Bear Sees Blue, Ashley Wolff (Beach Lane Books, 2012)
- A Sick Day for Amos McGee, Philip C. Stead, with illustrations by Erin E. Stead (Roaring Brook Press, 2010) Purchase Now
- Lucky Ducklings, Eva Moore with illustrations by Nancy Carpenter (Orchard Books, 2013)
- Kitten’s First Full Moon, Kevin Henkes (Greenwillow Books, 2004)
- Fancy Nancy, Jane O’Connor, with illustrations by Robin Preiss Glasser (Harper Collins Publishers, 2006)
- Hush Little Digger, Ellen Olson-Brown with illustrations be Lee White (Trycicle Press, 2006)
- Dooley and the Snortsnoot, Jack Kent (J.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1972)
- The Little Red Caboose, Marian Potter with illustrations by Tibor Gergely (Random House, 1953)
- Knuffle Bunny: A Case of Mistaken Identity, Mo Willems (Hyperion, 2007)
- Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale, Mo Williems (Hyperion, 2004)
- Annie and the Wild Animals, Jan Brett (G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 1985, 2012)
- Peter Rabbit, Beatrix Potter (Frederick Wane & Co., Inc.)
- Little Blue Truck, Alice Schertle with illustrations by Jill McElmurry (Houghton Mifflin, 2008)
- Little Blue Truck Leads the Way Alice Schertle with illustrations by Jill McElmurry (Houghton Mifflin, 2009)
- How to Hide a Lion, Helen Stephens (Henry Holt and Company, 2012)
- Baby Bear Counts One, Ashley Wolff (Beach Lane Books, 2013)
- Big Snow, Jonathan Bean (Farrar Straus Giroux, 2013)
- Hide-and-Seek Duck, Cydney Szekeres (Sterling, 2010/originally published Golden Books, 1985)
- Pinkalicious, Victoria Kann, with illustrations by Elizabeth Kann (Harper Collins Publishers, 2006)
Best Breakfast Books
The back of a cereal box, a magazine, a book…in my family, we read at breakfast. For more musings on The Breakfast Book, check out my post HERE.
- Chu’s Day, Niel Gaiman, illustrations by Adam Rex (Harper, 2013)
- Railroad Hank, Lisa Moser illustrated by Benji Davies (Random House, 2012)
- Two Little Monkeys, Mem Fox, illustrated by Jill Barton (Beach Lane Books, 2012)
- How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight?, Jane Yolen illustrated by Mark Teague (The Blue Sky Press, 2000)
- Monster, Be Good! Natalie Marshall (Blue Apple Books, 2013)
- A Big Guy Took My Ball, Mo Willems (Hyperion Books for Children, 2013)
- Duck on a Bike, David Shannon (The Blue Sky Press, 2002)
- Counting in the Garden, Kim Parker (Orchard Books, 2005)
- I Am Bunny, Richard Scarry (Golden Press, Western Publishing Company, 1963)
- Little Blue Truck and Little Blue Truck Leads the Way, Alice Schertle, illustrated by Jill McElmurry (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2008, 2009)
- The Boy Who Cried Bigfoot, Scott Magoon (Simon and Schuster, 2013)
- A Good Day, Kevin Henkes, (Greenwillow Books, 2007)
- Red Truck, Kersten Hamilton, illustrated by Valeria Petrone (Viking, 2008)
- The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Eric Carle (Philomel Books, 1969)
- Where’s My T-R-U-C-K, Karen Beaumont, illustrated by David Catrow (Dial, 2011)
- Count the Monkeys, Mac Barnett (Disney, Hyperion Books, 2013)
- Now I am Big, Stephen Krensky illustrated by Sara Gillingham (Abrams Appleseed, 2012)
- The Happy Man and the Dump Truck, by Miryam, illustrated by Tibor Gergely (Golden Books, Random House, 1950)
- Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale, Mo Williems (Hyperion, 2004)
- Baby Bear Sees Blue, Ashley Wolff (Beach Lane Books, 2012)
- Baby Bear Counts One, Ashley Wolff (Beach Lane Books, 2013)
- A Sick Day for Amos McGee, Philip C. Stead, with illustrations by Erin E. Stead (Roaring Brook Press, 2010)
- Doug Unplugged, Dan Yaccarino (Alfred A. Knopf, 2013)
- Big Snow, Jonathan Bean (Farrar Straus Giroux, 2013)
Best Bedtime Books
The first eleven books on this lists are ones that I read over, and over and over again every night at bedtime to both of my children from the time there were born until they were at least a year old. When my kids were so very little, bedtime wasn’t bedtime without these books. I know that the repetition of these books literally hundreds of times has had a powerful, positive effect on my kids as readers and human beings. Now that they are “older” they pick their own bedtime books, and so I’ve also included titles of some of the longer pictures books they love to hear at night.
- Goodnight Moon, Margaret Wise Brown, illustrated by Clement Hurd (Haper Collins Publishers, 1991)
- I Love You Through and Through, Bernadette Rossetti-Shustak, illustrated by Caroline Jayne Church (Scholastic, Cartwheel Books, 2005)
- A Small Child’s Book of Cozy Poems, illustrated by Cyndy Szekeres (Scholastic, 1999)
- Each Peach Pear Plum, Janet and Allan Ahlberg (Viking, 1999, first published 1978)
- I Could Eat You Up!, Jo Harper, illustrated by Kay Chorao (Holiday House, 2007)
- The Going to Bed Book, Sandra Boynton (Little Simon Books, 1984)
- In Grandma’s Arms, Jayne C. Shelton, illustrated by Karen Katz (Scholastic, Cartwheel Books, 2001)
- How Do I Love You?, Marion Dane Bauer, illustrated by Caroline Jayne Church (Scholastic, Cartwheel Books, 2009)
- My World: A companion to Goodnight Moon, Margaret Wise Brown, illustrated by Clement Hurd (Harper Festival, 1949)
- Flip, Flap, Fly! A Book for Babies Everywhere, Phyllis Root, illustrated by David Walker (Candlewick, 2009)
- Ten, Nine, Eight, Molly Bang (Greenwillow Books, 1983)
- Railroad Hank, Lisa Moser with illustrations by Benji Davies (Random House, 2012)
- Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes, Mem Fox with illustrations by Helen Oxenbury (Harcourt, 2008)
- Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale, Mo Williems (Hyperion, 2004)
- A Sick Day for Amos McGee, Philip C. Stead, with illustrations by Erin E. Stead (Roaring Brook Press, 2010)
- Kitten’s First Full Moon, Kevin Henkes (Greenwillow Books, 2004)
- Steam Train, Dream Train, Sheri Duskey with illustrations by Tom Lichtenheld (Chronicle Books, LLC, 2013)
- Big Snow, Jonathan Bean (Farrar Straus Giroux, 2013)
- Sophie’s Squash, Pat Zietlow Miller with illustrations by Anne Wilsdorf (Schwartz & Wade Books, 2013)
- Library Lion, Michelle Knudsen with illustrations by Kevin Hawkes (Candlewick Press, 2006)
- Hurry Down to Derry Fair, Dori Chaconas with illustrations by Gillian Tyler (Candlewick, 2011)
- Lucky Ducklings, Eva Moore with illustrations by Nancy Carpenter (Orchard Books, 2013)
- The New Baby, Mercer Mayer (Random House, 1983)
- Just Me and My Little Sister, Mercer Mayer (Paperwing Press, 1986)
Best Books for Cozying Up on the Couch
The books on this list are slightly longer and calmer, quieter than our breakfast books. These are titles that my 3-and-a-half-year old will pull off the shelf and bring to on the couch, ready to read and snuggle.
- Library Lion, Michelle Knudsen with illustrations by Kevin Hawkes (Candlewick Press, 2006)
- Mossy, Jan Brett (G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 2012)
- Hurry Down to Derry Fair, Dori Chaconas with illustrations by Gillian Tyler (Candlewick, 2011)
- Waiting Out the Storm, JoAnn Early Macken with illustrations by Susan Graber (Candlewick, 2010)
- Annie and the Wild Animals, Jan Brett (G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 1985, 2012)
- Perfect Soup, Lisa Moser with illustrations by Ben Mantle (Random House Children’s Books, 2010)
- Building Our House, Jonathan Bean (Farrar Straus Girouz, 2013)
Best Books to Give as Gifts: Welcome to Book Matching
Chances are, if is is holiday or I’m invited to a birthday party, I come bearing books. One of the most rewarding aspects of my career as a teacher was finding the perfect book for a student to read. Finding THE ONE sometimes turned a resistant reader into a book lover. I’ve been able to continue “book matching” with my nieces, nephews and friends’ kids. There are books like Lucky Ducklings that I knew would delight my animal-loving niece; Chu’s Day for my best friend’s energetic, fun-loving son; A Sick Day for Amos McGee for my turtle-loving former college as she entered retirement; and Railroad Hank for anybody, anytime. The best thing about the titles on this list is that usually the the recipient does not already own them, and oh how much fun it is to know I get to change that!
- Railroad Hank, Lisa Moser with illustrations by Benji Davies (Random House, 2012)
- Baby Danced the Polka, Karen Beaumont with illustrations by Jennifer Plecas (Dial, 2004)
- A Child’s First Book of Poems, artwork by Cyndy Szekeres (Western Publishing Company, Inc., 1981)
- A Sick Day for Amos McGee, Philip C. Stead, with illustrations by Erin E. Stead (Roaring Brook Press, 2010)
- Baby Bear Sees Blue, Ashley Wolff (Beach Lane Books, 2012) and Baby Bear Counts One, Ashley Wolff (Beach Lane Books, 2013)
- Big Snow, Jonathan Bean (Farrar Straus Giroux, 2013)
- Sophie’s Squash, Pat Zietlow Miller with illustrations by Anne Wilsdorf (Schwartz & Wade Books, 2013)
- Chu’s Day, Niel Gaiman, illustrations by Adam Rex (Harper, 2013)
Best Baby Books
The books on my Best Baby Books lists were some of the very first books my kids loved. Their rhythms and bright illustrations are perfect for reading to babies who are not even one.
- Baby Danced the Polka, Karen Beaumont with illustrations by Jennifer Plecas (Dial, 2004)
- Baby Talk: A Book of First Words and Phrases, Judy Hindley with illustrations by Brita Granstrom (Candlewick, 2006)
- Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes, Mem Fox with illustrations by Helen Oxenbury (Harcourt, 2008)
- The Baby Goes Beep, Rebecca O’Connell with illustrations by Ken Wilson-Max (Roaring Brook Press, 2003)
- (all of the board books listed below)
Best Board Books
The edges are warn; the pages are stuck together; the bindings are chewed…but these board books have been with us from the beginning and joined us on car rides, walks in the stroller, at breakfast, outside, in tents, dollhouses…They are essential reading in our Picture Book House.
- Jamberry, Bruce Degen (HarperFestival, 1983)
- Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can You? Dr. Suess, (Random House, Inc., 1970, 1996)
- Moo, Baa, La La La!, Sandra Boyton (Little Simon Books, 1984)
- Barnyard Dance, Sandra Boyton (Workman Publishing Company, Inc., 1993)
- More More More Said the Baby, Vera B. Williams (Harper Festival, 1990)
- Chicka Chicka ABC, Bill Martin Jr./ John Archambault (Little Simon, 1989)
- Ten, Nine, Eight, Molly Bang (Greenwillow Books, 1983)
- Brown Bear Brown Bear What Do You See, Bill Martin Jr./Eric Carle (Henry Holt and Company, LLC, 1967)
- The Ear Book, Al Perkins/Henry Payne (Random House, Inc., 2007)
- Happy Baby, Sad Baby, Leslie Patricelli (Candlewick, 2008)
- Going on a Bear Hunt, Michael Rosen/Helen Roxenbury (Litton Simon, 1989)
- Polar Bear Polar Bear What Do You Hear, Bill Martin Jr./Eric Carle (Henry Holt and Company, LLC, 1991)
- The Napping House, Audrey Wood, with illustrations by Don Wood (Harcourt Books, 1984)
- Cars and Trucks From A to Z, Richard Scarry (Random House, 1990)
- The Mitten, Jan Brett (G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 1989)
Best Seasonal Books
- and then it’s spring, Julie Fogliano with illustrations by Erin E. Stead (Roaring Brook Press, 2012) (spring)
- My Garden, Kevin Henkes (Greenwillow Books, 2010) (spring)
- Ox-Cart Man, Donald Hall (Puffin Books, 1979) (fall)
- Big Snow, Jonathan Bean (Farrar Straus Giroux, 2013)(winter)
- Oh!, Kevin Hankes (Greenwillow Books, 1999) (winter)
- The Snowy Day, Jack Ezra Keats (Viking, 1962) (winter)
- Baby Bear Counts One, Ashley Wolff (Beach Lane Books, 2013) (fall)
- Sophie’s Squash, Pat Zietlow Miller with illustrations by Anne Wilsdorf (Schwartz & Wade Books, 2013)
(fall) - Snow, Uri Shulevitz (Farrar Straus Giroux, 1998)
Best Poetry Books
- A Child’s First Book of Poems, artwork by Cyndy Szekeres (Western Publishing Company, Inc., 1981)
- A Small Child’s Book of Cozy Poems, illustrated by Cyndy Szekeres (Scholastic, 1999)
Best Concept Books
- Baby Bear Sees Blue, Ashley Wolff (Beach Lane Books, 2012)
- Baby Bear Counts One, Ashley Wolff (Beach Lane Books, 2013)
Best Easy Readers that Toddlers Will Enjoy
- The Monster in the Backpack, Lisa Moser with illustrations by Noah Z. Jones (Candlewick Sparks, 2013)
Best Nonfiction
- Who Lives Here?,Nicola Davies with illustrations by Marc Boutavant (Candlewick, 2012)
*The books on these lists (and possibly even the lists themselves!) will change often, so please check back!
Picture Book House 
One Response to “Looking for a Good Book?”
I love this! My sister and sister in law both just had babies last week. They are both getting packages in the mail with lots of books from the baby book and board book list!